Hand grenade



OCt. 5, P- K|ANG HAND GRENADE File@ oct. 3. 1941 flvdlvllllulll l. .if v

Patented Oct. 5,y 1943 UNITE HAND GRENADE Piao Klang, Washington, D. C. Application October 3, 1941, Serial No. 413,508 4 claim. (ci. 1oz- 64) This invention relates to an improved form of hand grenade and relates particularly to that form oi' hand grenade sometimes known as the potato masher type whichA is elongated handle. I

It is an object of this invention to provide a hand grenade structure which will be exceedingly safe in handling and storing.

It will be a further object of this invention to provide a hand grenade which is operable in response to centrifugal force.

It is a particular object of tlie invention 'to provide a hand grenade structure operable in response to centrifugal force in which the centrifugal force initiates a sequence of events which, when centrifugal force ceases, will result in explosion of the grenade.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a hand grenade structure in which a means is provided for rendering the grenade substantially shockproof inthe event that the grenade fails to explode after centrifugal force ceases to act upon the trigger mechanism.

It is also a further object of my invention to construct a hand grenade having selective functions, as either a fragmentation or a demolition bomb.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent by reference to the following specication and drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the complete hand grenade construction with the trigger mechanism fully cocked and the safety cap in position for carrying and handling the grenade;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the handle portion of the grenade with the safety cap removed and the parts in the position position assumed immediately upon the cessation of the centrifugal force;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the trigger mechanism showing the parts in the position assumed at the moment the firing pin strikes the primer; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section showing the position of the firing pin after striking the primer.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, the hand grenade consists of an explosive charge I enclosed in a metal shell 2 to which a handle 3 is attached by means of the screw threads. 4'. The metal casing 2 surrounding the explosive is provided with screw threads 5 at one end thereof to which may be screwed an outside. fragmentation casing 6 if desired. The metal casing 2 is provided with an indented or recessed portion 'l into which the detonator housing d extends. A deprovided with an tonator 9 is positioned within the housing 8 andA said housing is secured to the handle 3 by the When it is desired to store the grenade for any length of time, the detonator may be easily removed by unscrewing the' handle from thecasing 2 and unscrewing the detonator housing 8 from the handle. With this construction, the detonator may be easily removed without disturbing the trigger mechanism located in the other en'd of the handle.

The trigger mechanism of my invention, as previously stated, is positioned in the end p'ortion of the handle 3 and hereinafter will be fully described with reference to Figures'l through 5 of the drawing.

A hand trigger I I, pivoted to the handle at I2 vand provided with a spring I3, is held` on the handle in the position shown in Figure 1 by means ofthe safety cap i4. A plunger element or key I 5 is slidably positioned in the bore of the metal casing I6 which is embedded in the end portion of the wooden handle 3 and which. has threaded in its inner end a 'cap IBa which provides an annular shoulder or abutment I 6b adjacent the inner endv of the casing. A ball check member I'l is positioned in the recess I8 of the I 26. lFiring pin 20 isfalso provided with a compression spring 21 which urges the firing pin in the direction of the' primer 26. A groove -28 is formed in the metal casing I6 as shown in the drawing. The firing pin 20 is provided with a firing point 29 which, upon striking the primer 28, will ignite the fuse 30. Af-balancingspring 3| ispositioned surrounding the firing point 29 to oppose the force of the firing pin spring 21 and balance the `ring pin at rest to the position shown in AFigure 5. The detonator 9, located within the explosive charge, is adapted to bered by the fuse 30. l

To use the grenade, the safety cap i@ is unscrewed and the grenade is held in the hand for throwing. Whenthe grenadeis thrown and the through the air, will partake of a spinning motion with the handle rotating about the heavy head portion or explosive charge of the grenade hstorage and handling purposes.

described, the detonator may easily be removed as a pivot, the said head portion constituting the maiorweight of the grenade. This spinning motion gives rise to considerable centrifugal force exerted at the handle end of the grenade. The

- plunger le will then move out oi' the handle in response to the centrifugal force and against the compression of spring 25, and the ball check member l1 will be discharged and fall away from the grenade as is clearly shown inFigure 2.

When the grenade comes to rest and centrifugal.

. fbore and guarded by the handle so as to be unforce is no longer acting on the plunger i5, the

plunger spring 2B will force the plunger into the handle as shown in Figures 3 and 4 and the ball check member 22 will move into the groove 28.`

With the ball check member 22 in the position shown in Figures 3 and 4, the firing pin is no longer cocked to the plunger and the firing pin will then move in response to the firing pin spring 21 to strike the primer 28 which, in turn, ignites the fuse 30 andthe detonator 9 exploding the grenade. f'

After the iiring pin has struck the primer, the balancing spring 3| will move the firing pin away from the primer and balance its force against the force of the firing pin spring 2I` to locate the firing pin at a safe distance away from the primer as is clearly shown in Figure 5 of the drawing. This is an important factor in renderingthe grenade shockproof, in the event that it fails to explode, as the firing pin cannot possibly strike the primer again until -the entire trigger mechanism is reset and released. Casing I6 guards the firing pin against any direct blow and the casing itself is positively prevented from inward movement by the abutment i6b.

As is well known in the art, the eieotiveness of bom may be regulated by the type of casing in which the explosive/is placed. By my invention, I have provided a hand grenade having a metal shell 2 in which the explosive material ismetal shell. If a fragmentation effect for de.

fensive purposes is desired, I may screw to the metal shell the outside fragmentation casing 8 which reduces the force of the explosive but increases its fragmentation within the range of the grenade.

It will be apparent from the description o f my invention that I have provided an improved grenade structure which is exceedingly safe for As previously without disturbing the trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism in itself is also provided with .affected by the gripping o f the handle and by the motion of throwing the grenade, spring means urging said plunger toward said primer, means holding said plunger away from said primer and releasable upon kmovement of said plunger outwardly of saidbore against said spring means under centrifugal force developed by rotation of.

the handle about the head during the flight of the thrown grenade, and a flring pin carried by said plunger and adapted to strike the primer when centrifugal force ceases to act on said and having an angular portion normally blocking plunger so that said spring means is enabled to move said plunger toward said primer.

2. A hand grenade according to claim 1, including a hand trigger pivoted to said handle the outer end of said bore to prevent outward movement of said plunger, readily releasable means holding said trigger in normal position, and spring means eective to move said trigger whereby to unblock said bore when said releasable means is released and the grenade is thrown.

3. A hand grenade according to claim 1 wherein said firing pin is slidably carried by said plung- .leased upon movement of said plunger toward said primer. y

4. A hand grenade having a head constituting ythe major weight of the grenadeand a handle ilxed to said head, W"said handle'being directly r gripped for throwing the grenade and being prothree separate trigger actions which all must operate in the required sequence before the grenade can be exploded. The hand trigger must be released whereuponcentrifugalforce will release the plunger which, when centrifugal force ceases, will release the ring pin. In addition to these three trigger functions, a safety cap is also grenade and which requires no shock or other outside disturbance to effect the exploding of the bomb. I

The terminology used in' the specication is not intended 'to limit the invention, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

vided with a longitudinal bore, a primer in said boreadjacent the head, a plunger slidable in said bore and guarded by the handle so as to be unaffected by the gripping of the handle and by the motion of throwing thev grenade, spring means urging said plunger toward said primer, means holding said plunger away from said primer and releasable upon movement of said plunger outwardly of said -bore against said spring means under centrifugal force developed by rotation of the handle about the head during the flight of the thrown grenade, a firing pin slidably carried by said plunger; spring means interposed between said plunger and pin and urging said pin toward said primer, means normally locking said4 pin to said plunger against the action of said interposed spring means but released upon movement of saidplunger toward said primer, an abutment limiting the movement of said plunger toward said primer under the action of the first named spring means when centrifugal force ceases to act on said plunger, said interposed spring means acting upon release of said firing pin to project said firing pin relative to said plunger to strike said primer, and a balance spring compressed to permit said nring pin toA strike said primer but thereupon expanding to' move said ring pin away from said primer to prevent re-striking of the latter.

PIAO KIANG. 

